Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are directed to the Premier. It’s in regard to my Member’s statement and the importance of dealing with poverty in the North, but more importantly, getting the government to move on an Anti-Poverty Strategy and implementing the strategy and not just look at doing another study.
I’d like to ask the Premier, as the transitional process takes fold, where in the list of items being transferred to the new government and part of the transitional document is the poverty situation in the Northwest Territories. I think it has to be on top of the list. So I’d like to ask the Premier where is the government on the Anti-Poverty Strategy.
Thank you, Mr Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Anti-Poverty Strategy, the work that’s done and reported to standing committee will be included in that transition process. Thank you.
Thank you. I think it’s more important to find a way to implement our strategy than simply doing strategies, and I think it’s important that we do emphasise the importance of this work, and more importantly, implement it, put it into action and find ways to pull people out of poverty and turn the Northwest Territories economy around. So I’d like to ask the Premier are there any types of investments that are also going to be suggested on where we can find resources to either implement or give the new government an idea of things that they can do to implement this strategy.
Thank you. Again, the work that’s been done to date is forwarded to committee for a response and carry on, and carried forward to the 17th Assembly. We’re not in a position to direct the next government to what areas they should be investing in, what areas of priority.
I know many times we, as a government and the many departments that were involved in this work, continue to do this work through existing programs. But for the strategy itself, the work that’s been done and tabled with Members, hopefully early in the life of the 17th Assembly they’ll be able to review those and decide what they can carry forward. Thank you.
Thank you. Again, I’d like to thank the Premier for that. I know that we can’t sort of impose on the new government, but I think we can strongly suggest or recommend that they seriously consider this as being one of their priorities. So I’d like to ask the Premier, is that something that the government can suggest that they seriously consider this as a top priority of this government to the next government.
Thank you. Part of our transition planning and work will incorporate quite a number of initiatives that we have started and we’ll be handing off. As the Member is very familiar with, we’ve been through this cycle four times prior, that the new Members will look at their initiatives, their priorities, and I’m sure there will be a number of Members returning and will carry forward with the work that’s been done to date and raise that level of importance at that stage. But it will be a part of the package. It will have to be up to the 17th Assembly to decide what their priorities will be. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
